Display apparatus

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel, which includes a folding region, which is foldable around a folding axis extending in a first direction, and first and second non-folding regions spaced apart from each other with the folding region therebetween, and a lower member disposed below the display panel. The lower member includes a first high-rigidity part, a first low-rigidity part, a second high-rigidity part, a second low-rigidity part, and a third high-rigidity part, each of which overlaps the folding region and which are arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction. Each of the first and second low-rigidity parts has a modulus less than a modulus of a high-rigidity part adjacent thereto in the second direction among the first high-rigidity part, the second high-rigidity part and the third high-rigidity part.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display device comprising:
 a display panel including a folding region, which is foldable around a folding axis extending in a first direction, and first and second non-folding regions spaced apart from each other with the folding region therebetween; and   a lower member disposed below the display panel,   wherein the lower member comprises a first high-rigidity part, a first low-rigidity part, a second high-rigidity part, a second low-rigidity part, and a third high-rigidity part, each of which extends in the first direction and overlaps the folding region and which are arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction,   wherein each of the first and second low-rigidity parts has a modulus less than a modulus of a high-rigidity part adjacent thereto in the second direction among the first high-rigidity part, the second high-rigidity part and the third high-rigidity part.   
     
     
         2 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower member comprises a plate layer,
 wherein the plate layer comprises
 first to third high-rigidity portions corresponding to the first to third high-rigidity parts, respectively, and 
 first and second low-rigidity portions corresponding to the first and second low-rigidity parts, respectively, 
 wherein each of the first and second low-rigidity portions has a modulus less than a modulus of a high-rigidity portion adjacent thereto in the second direction among the first to third high-rigidity portions. 
   
     
     
         3 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first high-rigidity portion and the third high-rigidity portion are symmetrical with respect to the second high-rigidity portion, and   the first low-rigidity portion and the second low-rigidity portion are symmetrical with respect to the second high-rigidity portion.   
     
     
         4 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein the first to third high-rigidity portions have a same modulus as each other. 
     
     
         5 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein at least two selected from the first to third high-rigidity portions have different moduli from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein opening portions are defined through the plate layer in each of the first and second low-rigidity portions. 
     
     
         7 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein first opening portions, second opening portions, third opening portions, fourth opening portions, and fifth opening portions are defined in the first high-rigidity portion, the first low-rigidity portion, the second high-rigidity portion, the second low-rigidity portion, and the third high-rigidity portion, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The display device of  claim 7 , wherein the first to fifth opening portions extend in the first direction and are spaced apart from each other in the second direction. 
     
     
         9 . The display device of  claim 7 , wherein a planar area of each of the first opening portions of the first high-rigidity portion is less than a planar area of each of the second opening portions of the first low-rigidity portion. 
     
     
         10 . The display device of  claim 7 , wherein a gap between the first opening portions of the first high-rigidity portion is greater than a gap between the second opening portions of the first low-rigidity portion in the second direction. 
     
     
         11 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein recessed portions, each of which is recessed from one surface of the plate layer, are defined in each of the first and second low-rigidity portions. 
     
     
         12 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein first recessed portions, second recessed portions, third recessed portions, fourth recessed portions, and fifth recessed portions are defined in the first high-rigidity portion, the first low-rigidity portion, the second high-rigidity portion, the second low-rigidity portion, and the third high-rigidity portion, respectively,
 wherein the first to fifth recessed portions are spaced apart from each other in the second direction.   
     
     
         13 . The display device of  claim 12 , wherein a width of each of the first recessed portions of the first high-rigidity portion is less than a width of each of the second recessed portions of the first low-rigidity portion in the second direction. 
     
     
         14 . The display device of  claim 12 , wherein a gap between the first recessed portions of the first high-rigidity portion is greater than a gap between the second recessed portions of the first low-rigidity portion in the second direction. 
     
     
         15 . The display device of  claim 12 , wherein a depth of each of the first recessed portions of the first high-rigidity portion is less than a depth of each of the second recessed portions of the first low-rigidity portion in a thickness direction of the plate layer. 
     
     
         16 . The display device of  claim 2 , wherein the first high-rigidity portion has a thickness greater than a thickness of the first low-rigidity portion. 
     
     
         17 . The display device of  claim 16 , wherein the thickness of the first high-rigidity portion is uniform in the second direction. 
     
     
         18 . The display device of  claim 16 , wherein the thickness of the first high-rigidity portion is variable in the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower member comprises a cushion layer,
 wherein the cushion layer comprises a first cushion part, a second cushion part, a third cushion part, a fourth cushion part, and a fifth cushion part which correspond to the first high-rigidity part, the first low-rigidity part, the second high-rigidity part, the second low-rigidity part, and the third high-rigidity part, respectively,   wherein each of the first to fifth cushion parts comprises a matrix part with pores dispersed in the matrix part,   wherein each of the second cushion part and the fourth cushion part has a modulus less than a modulus of the cushion part adjacent thereto in the second direction.   
     
     
         20 . The display device of  claim 19 , wherein the matrix part of each of the first to fifth cushion parts comprises a same material as each other. 
     
     
         21 . The display device of  claim 19 , wherein a ratio of the pores in the first cushion part is lower than a ratio of the pores in the second cushion part. 
     
     
         22 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower member comprises a protective layer,
 wherein the protective layer comprises a first film part, a second film part, a third film part, a fourth film part, and a fifth film part which correspond to the first high-rigidity part, the first low-rigidity part, the second high-rigidity part, the second low-rigidity part, and the third high-rigidity part, respectively,   wherein each of the second film part and the fourth film part has a modulus less than a modulus of the film part adjacent thereto in the second direction.   
     
     
         23 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower member comprises a protective layer, and an adhesive layer disposed between the display panel and the protective layer,
 wherein the adhesive layer comprises a first adhesive part, a second adhesive part, a third adhesive part, a fourth adhesive part, and a fifth adhesive part which correspond to the first high-rigidity part, the first low-rigidity part, the second high-rigidity part, the second low-rigidity part, and the third high-rigidity part, respectively,   wherein each of the second adhesive part and the fourth adhesive part has a modulus less than a modulus of the adhesive part adjacent thereto in the second direction.   
     
     
         24 . The display device of  claim 23 , wherein the first adhesive part and the second adhesive part comprises a same ultraviolet curable resin as each other,
 wherein a curing degree of the first adhesive part is different from a curing degree of the second adhesive part.   
     
     
         25 . The display device of  claim 1 , wherein the display panel comprises:
 a first curvature part corresponding to a center of the folding region;   a second curvature part extending from one side of the first curvature part; and   a third curvature part extending from an opposing side of the first curvature part,   wherein the first curvature part may have a curvature greater than a curvature of each of the second curvature part and the third curvature part,   wherein the first to third high-rigidity parts and the first and second low-rigidity parts overlap the first curvature part.   
     
     
         26 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display device for displaying images, comprising:   a display panel including a folding region, which is foldable around a folding axis and includes one side and an opposing side, each of which extends in a first direction, a first non-folding region extending from the one side, and a second non-folding region extending from the opposing side; and   a lower member disposed below the display panel,   wherein the lower member comprises
 a middle high-rigidity part corresponding to a center of the folding region, 
 a first high-rigidity part corresponding to the one side of the folding region, 
 a second high-rigidity part corresponding to the opposing side of the folding region, 
 a first low-rigidity part disposed between the middle high-rigidity part and the first high-rigidity part and having a less modulus than each of the middle high-rigidity part and the first high-rigidity part, and 
 a second low-rigidity part disposed between the middle high-rigidity part and the second high-rigidity part and having a less modulus than each of the middle high-rigidity part and the second high-rigidity part, 
 wherein each of the middle high-rigidity part, the first high-rigidity part, the second high-rigidity part, the first low-rigidity part and the second low-rigidity part extends in the first direction. 
   
     
     
         27 . The electronic device of  claim 26 , wherein the lower member comprises an adhesive layer, a protective layer, and a plate layer, each of which overlaps the folding region, the first non-folding region, and the second non-folding region,
 wherein the middle high-rigidity part, the first high-rigidity part, the second high-rigidity part, the first low-rigidity part and the second low-rigidity part are defined in at least one selected from the adhesive layer, the protective layer and the plate layer.